Former Portland State linebacker Zach Walen has filed a $5 million suit against Portland State, Oregon Health Sciences University and the NCAA alleging he was treated negligently for a concussion he suffered in 2012.

Walen, who played prep football at Lake Oswego, left the team in 2013 and was forced to drop out of school, according to his attorney.

"This kid has been damaged, and we think the damages will be lifelong," said Steve Berman, a Seattle attorney. "He has to be compensated. We don't know if he will graduate from college, and he was good student. His relationship with his family has been altered. He's not the same kid they raised."

Portland State spokesman Scott Gallagher said Tuesday afternoon the university had not been served nor seen details of the suit. He declined further comment.

The suit alleges Walen suffered the concussion in a game on Sept. 1, 2012, and that the family became alarmed at his symptoms and sought a medical opinion.

It was only then, the suit alleges, that the school tested Walen and found he was concussed.

The suit alleges Walen was allowed to return to the field without being subsequently tested as required by the NCAA and by PSU's own protocol, or examined by a doctor.

"They never identified the fact that he had been concussed during the game," Berman said. "His parents had to do that. That is mind-boggling to me.

"He was supposed to pass what is called an ImPACT test to come back, but he was never given a second one to see if had made progress," Berman said. "His brain was not healed when he started to get more hits. That's when he got additional injury."

Walen eventually played in eight more games for PSU despite experiencing what the suit alleges were symptoms consistent with post-concussion syndrome.